Progressive roller suspension



J. R. JONES PROGRESSIVE ROLLER SUSPENSION March 19, 1929..

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J. R. JONES PROGRESSIVE ROLLER SUSPENSION March 19, 1929.

Filed Feb. ze. 1927 Y 4 sheets-sneer' J. R. JONES PROGRESSIVE ROLLERsUsPENs'JoN Filed Feb. 28, 19727 4 Sheets-Sheet,

March A19, 1929.

E I I l l l l l i l i l l l l `k l March 19, 1929. .J. R. JONESP'nosnssrv `Ro`LLER SUSPENSION Filed Feb. 28, 1927 l i l l l l l lt/W'e5 RkLawf/one 5' fil:

Patented Mar. 19, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

JAMES RICHARD JONES,` OF JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK., ASSIGNOR TO ART METALCON- STRUCTION COMPANY, OF` JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF lNEINYORK.

PROGRESSIVE ROLLER SUSPENSION.

Application mea February 2s, 19-27.' serial No. 171,686.

The object of this vinvention is to -provide a new and improved form ofprogressive roller suspension for the drawers of a metal filing cabinet.This and other objects of the invention will be illustrated in thedrawings, described in the specification, and pointed out in the/claimsat the end thereof.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the suspensioncollapsed as it is assembled in the case.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the suspension extended, the parts beingthe same as are shown ih- Figure 1, but are shown on a smaller scale. i

end of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical section on the line 4", 4" of Fig. 1.

Figure 5 is a vertical section on theA line 5", 5" of Fig. 4. Thisfigure shows the partsy at the middle of Figure 1 on an enlarged scale.Figure 6 is a vertical section on the line 6*,6" ofFig.2.

Figure 7 isa vertical section on the line 7", 7"-of Fig. 2.

Figure 7 A is a detail View showing the roller 21 mounted to turn on aswinging eccentric.

Figure 7 B is a detail View showing the roller 21 mounted to turn on aswinging link.

Figure 8 is a detail view of a portion of Fig. 2 indieatedby the arrows8", 8" the upper flange of the casing channel being partly broken awayto expose the parts that would otherwise be concealed thereby.

Figures 3 to 8 inclusive show the parts on twice the scale as theyappear in Figure 1.

Figure 9 is a plan view of the blank from which the stationary channelon thecase is formed.

Figure 10 is a plan view of the blank from which the floating member ofthe suspension is formed.

Figure 11 is a plan View of the blank from which the drawer rail of thesuspension is 45 formed. v

Figures 12, 13 and 14 are end views of the parts ormed from the blanksshown in Figures 9, 10 and 11, the parts being viewed from the left handend of Figures 1 and 3.

50 Figure 15 is a side elevation of the modified form of suspensioncollapsed as it is assembled in the case. In this ligure the suspensionis of a muchheavier construction and )j mediate Figure 3 is an end viewof the left hand is made for heavier duty-than thatshown in Figure 1. -Y

Figure 16 isa side elevation of the suspension extended, the parts shownbeing the s ame as those shown in Figure 15, but are yshown on asmallerscale.

Figure 17 is an end view, the parts being y Viewed from the left handend of Figure 15.

`Figure 18 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 18", 18"of` Figure 16.k

FigureV 19 is a vertical transverse section 4 taken on the line 19", 19"of Figure 15.

Figure 20 is a` side elevation of the interparts of Figure 15, the partsbeing broken away orsectioned on the line 20", 20" of Figure 19.

Figure 21 is a top plan view of that part of Figure 16 indicated by thearrows 21", 21". Figure 22 is an enlarged detail view of that part ofthe Figure 16 indicated by the arrows 22", 22", the top flange beingbroken away to expose the parts that would otherwise be concealedthereby.

Figure 23 is a side elevation of the three blanks that form thestationary case channel. Figure 24 is an end view ofthe case channelformed from the blanks shown in Figure 23, the parts being viewed fromthe left hand end of Figure 15 and as shown in Figure 17. Figure 25 is aplan View of the blank from which the floating member of.the suspensioni is formed.

Figure 26 is an end view of the floating member of the suspension formedfrom the blank shown in Figure 25, the part being viewed from the lefthand end of Figure 15 and as shown in Figure 17. Y

Figure 27 is a plan view of the blank from which the drawer rail of thesuspension is formed.

Figure 28 is an end view of this drawer rail as viewed from theleft'hand end of Fig ure .15'as shown in Figure 17 In the several iguresof the drawings, like reference numerals indicate like parts.

In the drawings reference numeral 1 indicates the planview of the blankfromgvl'rhitch the stationary channel 1^ on the case is formed. Thischannel may be called the case channel. This blank is bent up so as tohave a web 2 and channels 4 and 4 at the top'and bottom thereofrespectively. It is also provided with ears, 5, 6 and 7 by which it issuitof the floating suspension member 9^ settles when the drawer isclosed or the parts are collapsed. 9A is the floating suspension memberthat is not fastened to either the drawer or the case, but floatsbetween them, This is shown in Figure 13 and is formed from a blank 9shown in Figure 10. `It has a web 10 at the back thereof yand channels11 and 12 at thetop and bottom thereof. It is alsoA provided with a lug13 which extends over the drawer rail by which the drawer rail orsupport is held in place when it is at the outer end of its movement.vIt also prevents the tipping up of the file as it is withdrawn from thecase.

TheV drawer -rail is a Z shaped angle 14 formed from the blank 15 shownin- Figure 11. It has a small flange 16 on the bottom thereof. It isalso provided with a lug 17 which engages with a suitable stop on thefloating member of the suspension by which t-he drawer support is heldpermanently in place on the floating suspension until it is released aswill presently be described.

Neither the case channel 1^ that is stationary on the case nor thedrawerrail 14 are provided with rollers. The floating suspension memberis provided with four rollers as follows: It isprovided with the upperrollers 18 and 19 which are of about the same diameter with each otherand is providedwith the lower rollers 20 and 21 which are of the samesize 'with each other. The lower rollersl have a larger diameterthan theupper rollers.

The roller 18 is placed immediately above the roller 21 and both arelocatedl in about the middle of the slide. The roller 19 is placed atthe near end of the slide atthe top, and the roller 20 is laced at theforward end of the slide at the ottom. The roller 2O is preferably aball bearin g roller, andthe roller 21 is loosely mounted upon its axis`so that it has a loose or lost motion thereon 'of about 3/16 of anlinch permitting it to be easily fitted in place and permitting it toeasily ac?` commodate itself to the irregularities of the various partsIwith which 1t comes m-contact while the drawer ris being moved in orout.4

1n this sense the roller floats on its axis. As shown in Figure 5 thisroller 21 sinks into a slot or hole 8 in the track on which it runs whenthe drawer is closed. This serves to hold the drawer and floating memberpositively in closed position when the drawer is closed. The Z shapedmember or drawer rail 14 is hollowed out on the under side with aninverted depression as shown in Figure 5 to receive the top of theroller 21 when the drawer is closed. This helps to keep the drawerclosed. This depression registers with the slot 8 and the roller 21 whenthe drawer is closed so that as the drawer is pulledl forward from thecase,the depression inthe drawer rail will serve to start theintermediate roller 21 from its seat in the slot 8 in the case channel,eliminating any drag or resistancethat would otherwise occur.

` The forward end of the floating suspension 9^ is provided with a latch22 which is'p'ivotlally mounted inside the upper channel thereofat theforward end. y This latch 22 engages with the lug 17 that is formed onthe drawer rail 14 and stops the forwardmovement of therail and thedrawer when it has reached the limit of its forward movement. 'lhe latch22 can be swung up out kof the road of the lug 17 permitting the, railr14` and the drawer attached thereto to be removed from the floatingsuspension member and from the case. v

The upper and lower channels 11 and 12 extend the full length of thefloating suspension member except that at the rear the upper channel 11is cut away and theweb 9 extends upwardly at 23 to form a suitablebearing and back for the roller 19 as shown in Figure 8. This upwardextension 23 is provided with a shoulder which engages with a stationarypawl 24 when the floating member is at the limit of its forwardmovement, namely half way extended from the case channel 1A and itsforward movement is arrested thereby. l l

In the blank shown in Figure 10 the latch 22 extends up through theopening 25, the

roller 20 extends down through `the openingl 26, the roller 21 extendsdown through the slot 27, it being understood that when thc channels y11and 12 are formed on this blank these openings will be in the horizontalmembers of the channel to provide for this. It

will also be understood that the roller 19 extends above thefloatingsuspension mem-V ber 9A and makes contact with the case channel,and the roller 18 Ais retained within the upper channel of the floatingmember and does not extend through it and makes contact only with thedrawer rail 14.

It'will also be seen that the lower channel 12 at the bottom is widerthan the channel 11 Vat the top and the rollers 20 and 21 while they maybe of the same thickness as the rollers 18 and 19 are spaced outwardlyby small rollers placed at the back thereof.

In Figure 7A I have showny the roller 21 mounted to turn on an eccentric28 that is mounted to swing on a pivot so that theheavier constructionof ya roller suspension of this same invention. In this 4figure tl blank41 is bent to form the Z shaped angle or drawer rail 42. The blank 43 isbent to form the angle 44 and the blank 45 is b'ent to form the Z shapedangle 46. The angles 42, 44 and 46 are fastened directly to the insideof the case which holds the drawers and the side of the case istherefore a part of the lchannel that is formed by these three angles.It will be understood that the Z shaped angle 46 is a reinforce for theforward part of the angle 44 and is used'to strengthen it over what itwould be if formedfrom sheet metal of ordinary thickness. The Z shapedangle 46 carries the flange that completes the channel. This flangeextends for about half the length of the angle 44 namely theforwardhalt' of the length, it being understood that it is not necessary toprovide a flange at the rear end of the angle 46 for the roller 51 ofthe floating member does not go back that far and the floating member issufliciently guided at the rear by the lower flange on the Z shapedangle 42 which runs the whole length thereof and overhangs and guidesthe floating member from above. Y

The blank 47 shown in Figure 25 is formed into the channel 48 as shownin Figure 26, this being the floating member. The lower groove of thechannel is made wider than the upper groove of the channel for thereason that the lower rollers 51 and 52 that are carried by the floatingchannel are thicker or wider than the upper rollers 53 and 54 carried atthe top ofthe floating channel, and are spaced out by collars placed atthe back thereof. The slots or recesses 49 and 50 are provided in thebottom groove so that the rollers 5l and 52 can extend therethrough tomake contact with the bottom of the groove formed by the angles 44 and46.

The rollers 53 and 54 of the floating channel, the roller 53 beinglocated above the roller 51 both being located in the middle of thechannel, the roller 54 being located at the rear end of the channel andthe roller 52 being located at the forward end of the channel.

The blank 55 shown in Figure 27 is bent into the Z shaped angle 55Ashown in Figure 28. This angle is attached to the drawer and isstationary therewith and isl called the drawer rail. The horizontal partof the angle 56 is reinforced by the plate 57 to take the wear andstrain that would otherwise' have to be taken by the thin horizontalmember. As shown in Fig. 28, the Z shaped angle is bent up of sheetmetal and is reinforced by the plate 57 but it may be rolled all in onepiece, the horizontal member being made thicker than the vertical memberto give the strength and wearing qualities where it is most needed. i

In the floating suspension member the roller 54 is mounted on a pivotone end of which is fastened in the web of the channel are carried atthe'top and the outer end of which is supported by the Z shaped bracket58 that is fastened to the web of the channel. Over the roller 53 isplaced the bracket 59 both ends of which are fastened to the web of thechannel of the floating suspension member.' At the forward end of thefloating suspension member is carried a slidinglafch 60 which has'a slot61 therein which engages with the pin 62 on which the latch swings. Thislatch engages with a block 63 on the Z shaped member 55^ as shown inFigure 21 by which the movement of the drawer is arrested when thesuspension has been fully extended. By lifting the latch at its outerend, the block 63 can pass under the latch, and` thedrawer can beremoved from the suspension.

The roller 5l is loosely mounted upon the pivot 64 so that it can floatup and down as shown in Figure 20. It extends through a slot in thebottom of the channel so that it can rest on the angle 44 that isfastened to the case, and on which it rolls as the floating member movesback and forth. This angle is cut away at 65 immediately under where theroller 51 rests when the drawer is closed so as to form a depression inwhich the roller will rest and by which the roller and its suspensionand drawer will be normally held in place with the drawer closed. Whenthe drawer is opened, the roller will be lifted out of this stationarydepression or slot by the moving depression in the drawer rail.

The rollers 52, 53 and 54 can be either roller bearings or turnedrollers, but the roller 51 is always made solid.

The intermediate floating member is made so that it can be removed fromthe channel on the casing by tilting the upper part of it sideways whenthe drawer is out. This is because when the Z shaped bar attached to thedrawer is not in place over the rollers 21 or 51 the floating member candrop down on the roller 21 or 51 so as to disengage the rollers at thetop from the overhanging flange of the channel. When the Z shaped bar isin place, the floating member is held up because of the engagement ofone or both of the upper rollers therewith and because it in turnengages the rollers 21 or 51. Then too, the floating member is held inplace by the drawer itself which holds the Z shaped member in place.

The floating member 48 is provided with the lug 67 which engages overthe drawer rail 55A and holds` it from tilting as the lug 13 engagesover the rail 14 as above described.

The case channel is provided with the block 1 drawer and a floatmgchannel interposed between the two, said floating channel having tworollers pivotally mounted at the middle thereof one above the other, thelower roller having its pivot near the bottom of the channel, a slot inthe bottom of said 'channel through which the lower roller extends tomake Contact with the bottom of the case channel, said floating channelhaving a roller at the upper rear corner which makes contact with thetop of the case channel and a roller at the lower front corner whichsupports the drawer rail, a slot in the case chanv nel centrally thereofadapted to receive said lower roller when the drawer is closed.

2. In a progressive roller suspension, the combination of a casechannel, a floating channel moving therein, said suspension having 4rollers therein, two of said rollers being in the middle of the floatingchannel one above the other, a third roller being on the lower side ersat the middle of the suspension resting on' said two lower rollers ofthe floating channel and the lower flange of said rail engaging behindsaid two lower rollers, the upper flange engaging thefdrawer.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JAMES RICHARD JONES.

